Basel The Glory Of Switzerland Says Ergic

How has Ivan Ergic changed since your playing days in Australia?
I think in many ways I have improved, especially in the way of experience and maturity. I spent only one year in Perth and apart from 'that' Grand Final' when we lost to Wollongong, everything was perfect. Scott Chipperfield is also here at Basel and loves to remind me of it every now and then. Mind you, he also can't believe how they ended up winning that game. Anyway, as consolation, we were the Premiers for the season. It was my first year as a professional player and I certainly have many great memories to go with it.

What have been your highlights so far at FC Basel?
Beating Celtic for a place in the European Champions League is obviously up there, but winning the double with the club last season, namely the championship and cup was brilliant. Especially after 27 years - it means a lot to the city. Basel is a football city with great fans where we can often get 25-28 thousand to a game. I think those three things are the highlights to far.

Now that you know you're Champions League group, which includes Liverpool, Valencia and Spartek Moscow, it's certainly a far cry from your National Soccer League days ...
What I noticed in Australia is that there is enough talent but what Australia lacks is a more professional approach to the game. Talent-wise, it's not that much different to say here in Switzerland. And as for the Champions League, it will be a great experience for me. It means a lot not just to me but to all the Basel players and if you can play regularly it will be a good shop-window.

Do the players get a special bonus for participating in the Champions League?
We each got 50,000 francs just for qualifying but then it depends on how far we progress for any further bonuses.

What is the set up and support at Basel like?
I can honestly say we are the 'Perth Glory' of Switzerland. While the other clubs get five or six thousand to a game, we can average 26-28,000. And the three Champion League games are already sold out, so that just shows how keen the people here are about their football.

Has Juventus given you any hint when they might want you for the Serie A?
Because we had a good last season, there was a possibility of me going back to Juventus; or to be loaned out to another Italian club. But I decided to stay and as we know, the decision has paid off. I knew there was a possibility we could play in the Champions League and this is where I can play as a regular player. Being just 21 years old and playing in such a competition is going to be great.

Ljubo Milicevic timed it right to sign on for Basel ... you must be thrilled to have one your mates at the club?
Of course! He had a lot of trouble at F.C. Zurich with the club itself and injuries - and because of that, I think it will take time for him to settle in. However, I am 100 per cent sure that when he is fully fit, he'll be challenging for a place in the team.

Who will he be competing against, to get a place in the side?
Murat Yakin is the national and club captain, so it is going to be a while before that defender position becomes vacant. But there is a possibility Ljubo might play in the number six role as a defensive midfielder. I think he can play there as well as centre-half. Ljubo is good at going forward from that position and we need a player like that.

How is Christian Gross treating you and are you learning much from him?
It was pretty tough going at the start with him to be honest, I had learnt the hard way and learnt you have to train hard every day to prove yourself. I think with his experience he's the best coach in Switzerland for sure. He once coached Tottenham and now the Swiss national team want him as well as a number of other European clubs, no doubt because of the success of the club last season and now that the club made the Champions League. So yes, we can learn a lot from him, plus he's a great motivator. He can be hard at times, but if he wasn't, there wouldn't be the discipline in the team.

F.C. Basel might be considered the minnow of the Champions League especially with the calibre of competition you have in your group but on the other hand you have an opportunity to make a name for yourself ...
I think we have to be realistic here. Your Valencia's and Liverpool's are the group favourites, so we will simply go out there do our best and get as many points as possible. Mind you, qualifying in itself is a pretty big achievement. Not just for the club or city, but for Switzerland in general. In the past, it's only been Grasshoppers who have previously participated, twice in just ten or twelve years.

What is Scott Chipperfield doing while he is injured?
Scott has got a lot of problems with a knee at the moment - ligaments I think it is. He will be out until at least winter - January or February, when we start the second half of the season - and that means missing out on the Champions League. There were a lot of offers from Germany and even England but I think he'd like to stay here now.

Are Basel favourites to retain the Swiss championship and who will be your main threats?
I think we are, along with Grasshoppers. That's the thing you know, we also have to stay focused on the local championship, because we may not go past the first round of the Champions League. There is quite a good rivalry between us and Grasshoppers - especially now that we beat them in the Cup and championship last season. We already have the upper hand this season, since we have already beaten them at their ground.

Copyright Richard Kreider, 2002. No part of this article may be reproduced without the prior content of it's author, Richard Kreider. Doing so would be a violation of copyright laws and regulations.